[TheDocTkk]

I have a 1999 K1200LT

I have several questions.

Handlebars
Looking through the service manual, I see 1 (ONE) specific handlebar height. Has anyone changed the bars out and had success?

Seats
What can I say.. The factory seat is one of the worst I have ever sat on. I need it in the upper position and I find it to be significantly uncomfortable on long rides. I have done 2 iron butt with my prior GW. I can say the seat was 1000% better. What seats have YOU used to improve the ride for your bike?

Horsepower
In my research before I found this bike. I was told that somewhere around 2004 the HP was bumped up from 100 to 130. Can this be easily done to a 99 like mine?

 

[Dick]

I have a 1999 K1200LT

I have several questions.

Handlebars
Looking through the service manual, I see 1 (ONE) specific handlebar height. Has anyone changed the bars out and had success?

Don't recall any past history of LT handlebars being changed out, but there is a procedure for a slight adjustment to the OEM bars - thanks to Vic Agresti for posting it in the Hall of Wisdom section.
BMW Luxury Touring Community - Site FAQ

 

[DeusExMaxima]

I have a 1999 K1200LT

I have several questions.

Handlebars
Looking through the service manual, I see 1 (ONE) specific handlebar height. Has anyone changed the bars out and had success?

Seats
What can I say.. The factory seat is one of the worst I have ever sat on. I need it in the upper position and I find it to be significantly uncomfortable on long rides. I have done 2 iron butt with my prior GW. I can say the seat was 1000% better. What seats have YOU used to improve the ride for your bike?

Horsepower
In my research before I found this bike. I was told that somewhere around 2004 the HP was bumped up from 100 to 130. Can this be easily done to a 99 like mine?

Handlebars - I think there is a bit of play in the handlebars but the prior response addresses handlebar questions.

Seat - I think the stock seat is comfortable. However, for my 48 state tour I just returned from, I used an Airhawk air cushion that is fabulous. It has a valve that allows you to adjust the amount of air in it. It even lets absorbs the heat from the heated seat so it warms up nicely. Alternatively, you could have the seat taken apart and re-foamed to your liking. I have done this on other bikes with great success. But check out Airhawk seat cushions.

Horsepower - I dont know what BMW did to increase horsepower but I thought it went from about 100 hp to about 116 hp. I bought a chip for $100 from John (plenty of info on it in the forum), and I removed the intake muffler andreplaced it with a larger carbon fiber intake tube that I made. I havent had it dynoed but there probably is a few extra hp from those mods. Also, if you remove the rear top box, you will shed 38 lbs which makes the bike easier to handle and should make it a bit faster with less weight to lug around. Also, removing the 6CD changer in the right side case removes 8 more lbs and gives you more space. If you dont like the radio, you can remove that plus the antenna for another few lbs of weight, more space in the stingray (front storage). For a lot of weight loss, you can swap out the exhaust for an aftermarket unit, but then you get a lot of noise. Removing weight is kind of like increasing hp because there is less bike for the exisiting hp to drag around - also better handling and braking. Anything more than this, you need to get another bike.:wink:

 

[TheDocTkk]

One of the first things I did was pull the CD changer.. I digitized all of minne over 15 years ago.

I pulled the antenna as it is easy to get a tape one and install it under the manta cover. I also use a Satellite radio most of the time when I want to listen. I flipped back and forth on deleting the tour pack. The side cases are 2/3 the size of my last two touring bikes.

Thank you for the information on the seat. I will look into it.

 

[Voyager]

I have a 1999 K1200LT

I have several questions.

Handlebars
Looking through the service manual, I see 1 (ONE) specific handlebar height. Has anyone changed the bars out and had success?

Seats
What can I say.. The factory seat is one of the worst I have ever sat on. I need it in the upper position and I find it to be significantly uncomfortable on long rides. I have done 2 iron butt with my prior GW. I can say the seat was 1000% better. What seats have YOU used to improve the ride for your bike?

Horsepower
In my research before I found this bike. I was told that somewhere around 2004 the HP was bumped up from 100 to 130. Can this be easily done to a 99 like mine?

Never tried to change the bars. The bar covers are probably the biggest impediment.

I found the stock seat fine once I added a Beadrider. The high position caused me to tilt forward too much. The Beadrider added enough height to make the low position comfortable and the ventilation helps tremendously in warm weather.

Nothing close to 130 HP. More like 116 or 117.

 

[jzeiler]

Best way to get more HP out of an LT is to keep the revs up (or lose weight). 1st gear is good to 62 MPH before you hit the rev limiter.

 

[DeusExMaxima]

Best way to get more HP out of an LT .... ( lose weight). .

IS THERE AN ECHO IN HERE??







:grin:

 

[Axle]

the handle bars can be moved up and down but you don't gain any height, if anything you will have further to reach, they seem to have one sweet spot due to rotating in an arc, there was a post a long time ago cant remember who, but they cut the bars and welded in a couple of inches to increase the length, as you can imagine the covers no longer fitted and it looked pretty doggy.
seat, what can I say my back is the problem not the seat road with a bead rider for years, and I have fitted a russell day long and it made no difference. get yourself some suburban lowering pegs 1" down 3/4" forward they will make a huge difference for comfort.
there really is no way to get more hp, I have a johns chip to be honest I cant really tell the difference.
that's my 2c

 

[Voyager]

Best way to get more HP out of an LT is to keep the revs up (or lose weight). 1st gear is good to 62 MPH before you hit the rev limiter.

I wish losing weight would increase horsepower. :smile:

 

[james216]

I have a 1999 K1200LT

I have several questions.

Handlebars
Looking through the service manual, I see 1 (ONE) specific handlebar height. Has anyone changed the bars out and had success?

Seats
What can I say.. The factory seat is one of the worst I have ever sat on. I need it in the upper position and I find it to be significantly uncomfortable on long rides. I have done 2 iron butt with my prior GW. I can say the seat was 1000% better. What seats have YOU used to improve the ride for your bike?

Horsepower
In my research before I found this bike. I was told that somewhere around 2004 the HP was bumped up from 100 to 130. Can this be easily done to a 99 like mine?[/quote
1st. The bars can be slightly adjusted, not changed out. 2nd. There are 2 adjust positions for the seat, high& low height adjustment. But. My recommendation is a airhawk,or beadrider pad. A Russell day long or a Bill Mayer seat is a big difference. The factory seat is not the best. 3rd. HP. 1999-2004 US models HP is 98 bhp. Starting in 2005. HP was raised to 116 and gearbox was modified. Just keep the rpms up. The brick motor likes to rev. Keep it around 4,500. Other improvements post 2004.Hydro/electric centerstand was added . Instrument panel was upgraded. Another piece of advice. The factory windshield is fair. An aftermarket windshield will help quite a bit. That alone makes it unbeatable as far as wind\rain protection of any touring bike period. With personal improvments. It's a great touring bike.

 

[DeusExMaxima]

3rd. HP. 1999-2004 US models HP is 98 bhp. Starting in 2005. HP was raised to 116 and gearbox was modified.

Do you know HOW BMW raised the HP? Cams? ECU programming? Exhaust? Etc?

 

[Voyager]

Do you know HOW BMW raised the HP? Cams? ECU programming? Exhaust? Etc?

I don't know all the changes. The most fundamental was compression ratio increase from something like 10.8:1 to 11.5:1. I believe the throttle body size was increased also. May have been cam changes, but not sure about that.

 

[james216]

Compression was changed to 11.5:1 and I believe different cams.Though not clear on the cam duration.

 

[DeusExMaxima]

Compression 11.5:1 and I believe different cams.Though not clear on the cam duration.

So a cam swap should help increase the hp? Im surprised more people arent interested in this as it may be some easy horsepower.

 

[james216]

Don't know how easy or practical it would be. To switch cams to an older.(pre 2005 LT)

 

[Axle]

start doing this sort of stuff at your own peril.. blown engine. if you cant do it properly then I suggest you don't start, it would be far better to source a later model engine and cpu which may not work,, anyway, I love learning from others so please give it a go..

 

[DeusExMaxima]

It looks like the pre 05 cams have different part number that 05 and later cams.....hmmmm

 

[DeusExMaxima]

I discovered a couple of things. The RS cam have more lift and i think duration too. Also.....the 05 plus LT throttlebodies are 2mm larger in diameter.....34mm vs. 36mm. Interesting.

I bet the RS cams with larger TBs can get a good 10 to 15 hp...maybe more. Thoughts?

 

[DeusExMaxima]

And the RS motor has 38mm throttlebodies.....4mm larger than the LT.

 

[Father Time]

Personally, and this is just me, I would be concerned changing cams without knowing how the compression was changed. If they have changed the pistons, good bet there are valve reliefs forged into the tops of them, or the wrist pin location has changed. Not knowing the pistons in the pre-'05 engines, I would be a little concerned about valve interference. Without doing a complete rotating assembly change out, this is not something I would attempt.

I have no issues running with my riding mates. Should I feel I need a little more speed, I'll shed some weight, whether it be off the bike or a bit more time in the gym and eating salads........